But, Knous added, “The problem is the project vision is kind of ‘fuzzy.’”

“Those historic building are kind of the elephant in the room,” Knous said, referring to three 19th-century houses on the property, including the home of Samuel Colt’s widow.

Bertram said the status of the homes is a concern to him as well.

“I grew up in New England. I understand towns,” he told the selectmen.

Even as he considers what kind of retail/commercial businesses would be best suited to the site, Bertram said, “There is a separate process going on right and that is to find a happy medium with those historic buildings.”

His request for freezing the assessment “is a tool to break through the stagnation,” Bertram said.

“The idea is to get the ball rolling, while we stick our necks out and put money on the line,” Bertram said.

Even if the assessment is frozen, the town will be getting fees and other taxes from the project — as well as jobs, Bertram said.

In all, Bertram said, there is 150,000 square feet of retail/commercial space available for development on the site.

He said BRT and the DiMarco Group of Rochester, New York, intend to build 81 residential units on the site.

With a public/private partnership, “We believe we can get this process going more quickly,” Bertram said.

First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said the town had developed a very successful — and mutually beneficial — partnership with the three brothers who developed the Brownstone Exploration Discovery Park in a town-owned quarry.

“We hope to find a balance between the character of the town, the historic buildings on site and the economic realities in Connecticut,” Bertram said.

Asked after the meeting if the state’s economy has recovered, Bertram said, “It has stabilized.”

“We think we can work with the town to have a successful development, but we need to partner with you to make that happen,” Bertram said.

“It’s a dance. We want to be as comfortable as your are comfortable,” Bertram said.

In response to a question from Selectwoman Kathleen G. Richards Bertram said, “We have to go out and ‘sell’ the property. And no, we don’t have an anchor store.”

Richards noted that since the discussions about a mixed-use development began seven years ago, modes of shopping have changed.

In many instances, big-box/anchor store style shopping has fallen out of favor.

Still, Bertram said he remained optimistic.

He said BRT and the DiMarco estimate it will take five years to develop the project, “but we anticipate we can do it three-and-a-half years.”

“We see this as an actionable project that can be exciting and fun,” Bertram said.

“After listening to Bertram, “I’m pretty comfortable that this is going to turn-out alright,” Knous said.

But Selectman Brian M. Flood was not convinced.

Flood said he did not have enough detail about what Bertram intends to do.

“I have no idea what your plan is,” Flood said at one point.

“Do I want to incentivize this project when I don’t what it is?” Flood asked.

Flood said he was “hesitant to commit the town to freezing the assessment if you’re going to put up something that is not good for the town or that is going to be boarded up in three years.”

Flood also objected to empowering Bransfield to work out the details of the assessment freeze.

“That responsibility goes back to the board of selectmen not the first selectman,” Flood said.

While expressing his confidence in the job Bransfield is doing, Flood said, “There may come a time when someone is sitting in that seat.”

That comment, and Flood’s continuing resistance to granting the power to negotiate the arrangement to the first selectman appeared to nettle Bransfield.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she told Flood at one point.

When the proposal is agreed upon, “Certainly, I am going to share that with the selectmen,” Bransfield said.